Maggie went pale as the snow outside. “So it’s my fault they shot you?”
“Of course not!” Kelsey exclaimed, throwing her arms around her. “They’re criminals. They do criminal things.”
“And there’s another thing we found out,” Maya added. “They had big plans to expand. They were looking into drug trafficking, human trafficking, art smuggling. Maggie, if you hadn’t run away when you did, things would have gotten so much worse. It would have spilled over into Lost Harbor. We all owe you a lot—both of you.” Maya lifted her glass. “To the intrepid Lewis women.”
Cheers rang out as everyone toasted.
After the noise died down, Kelsey settled back in her chair. A bit sadly, she looked over at Alastair. “We still haven’t had that moment of silence for Caroline and Anthony Berenson. They were a wonderful couple who wanted the best for Maggie. I hope that wherever they are, they’re happy knowing my Magpie is safe and healthy.”
Everyone bowed their heads for a moment of silent communion. With her eyes closed, Maya felt Rune settle his warm hand on her thigh. As always, his touch made her heart sing and her blood heat.
How many times had the two of them said “I love you” over the past few days? Over and over again. At random moments. In bed. First thing in the morning. In the middle of the night, as they turned to each other with sleepy desire. While snowshoeing through the woods.
As they all lifted their heads, Darius spoke for the first time. “My turn for a toast.” He pulled out his phone and cleared his throat. “Chief, brace yourself.”
“Uh oh.” Maya took a quick fortifying sip of her eggnog. Rune interlaced his fingers with hers.
“I got a message today from the combined fire and police department. Nate Prudhoe coordinated it.”
“Isn’t he in Connecticut?”
“He’s dedicated. And maybe a little bored. Ready?”
She nodded, and Darius clicked a button on his phone.
Nate’s recorded voice carried into the room. “Maya Badger, all of us here in the Lost Harbor law enforcement community would like to say that we’re extremely proud of our chief. Not only because you’re an outstanding officer and, you know, a superstar.”
Oh God. Where was this going? She glanced at Rune and caught the same amused alarm on his face.
Nate went on. “But because you’re…well, maybe someone else can put it better.” Her own voice took the place of his. Her recorded voice. “Rune is my best friend and the only man I can imagine spending my life with. I love him. And here’s the thing about females. We fight for the ones we love.”
Nate’s voice came back. “That’s you, Maya. You fight for this town. And now you just gave your department the best Christmas present ever. All this time, they’ve been nosing into your business and you finally just let it all hang out.”
A deep well of laughter bubbled up inside her. So much for walls. Did she mind? It turned out—not really.
“Also, there’s no need to be embarrassed. We’re all very happy for you and Rune. You deserve it. Oh, one more thing. We’ve postponed the Winter Parade until you get back. It just wouldn’t be the same without you. We already got the plastic snowman out of storage. Merry Christmas, Chief.”
Laughing so hard that tears sprang to her eyes, she shook her head at her fellow chief. “I should have known. They’re going to pay. Every single damn one of them. Especially Nate.”
Darius put away his phone with a grin. “Sorry, Maya. There was no stopping it.”
Next to him, Kate’s mouth was hanging open, her dark eyes wild with curiosity. “When did you say all that, Maya? It’s beautiful! It’s so Team Romance, I’m stunned.”
“It happened on the airstrip, during that standoff with Cara’s stalker. What better moment?”
Rune tightened his arm around her and snuggled her against his side. “Any moment would have been good, but that one was definitely unforgettable.” He nuzzled her cheek, making her shiver.
“But how did they hear it?” Kate gestured to Darius’ phone. “How did they get it on tape?”
“It’s an app on my phone. I have it programmed to transmit to the station if I hit record. I wanted them to know what was going on with the stalker.”
“All hail the chief.” Kate raised her glass. “Well done.”
Of course Maya loved getting props for her work; respect for her abilities had always been her catnip. But it turned out that it felt even better when she was glued to the side of the man she loved.
Rune stirred next to her and lifted his glass of eggnog. “I don’t want to toast a death, but I do want to toast the fact that Cara and I can actually choose where we live. We can stay in one place finally. We talked about it and we’re making it official. We choose here. Not here here, don’t worry, Kelsey,” he added lightly. “We choose Lost Harbor.”
“Amen to that…hear, hear…woohoo!” This toast was the most enthusiastic of all. Glasses chimed against each other, creamy liquid sloshed. The aroma of sugar and rum mingled with the wood smoke and the spruce.
Through her happiness, Maya made a mental note to circle back to Mrs. Holt to explain who had been sleeping in her barn. She and Boris had both encountered Cara’s stalker without knowing it, as had Dan Stone and everyone else at the medevac company. For weeks, he’d been infiltrating her town. Infuriating.
Jessica got up to add another piece of wood to the fire. “So, Maya. You solved all these crimes. You captured a nasty stalker, you busted an international crime ring, yada yada yada. But you know what impresses me the most?” She brushed her hands on her purple leggings and dropped into Ethan’s lap.
“What’s that?”
“That you didn’t mind telling the entire Lost Harbor police department how you felt about Rune. That’s so—not un-Maya, exactly. Just…a really great side of Maya.” She blew a kiss at her and Rune.
Maya looked up at Rune, who smiled down at her with that certain look in those smoky eyes that she knew exactly how to interpret. It meant they’d be taking advantage of the lodge’s luxurious bedding and outstanding soundproofing later that night.
Goddamn, she loved this man. Her friend, her playmate, her supporter, her lover. Her future.
She turned back to the warm circle of her friends and gave a jaunty shrug. “I guess that’s what happens when you…” She paused, drawing it out for drama.
“When you what?”
Maya nestled even more closely into the warm heaven of Rune’s embrace. “That’s what happens when you fall head over heels.”
Jessica clapped her hands. “I called it! Head over heels for the holidays, isn’t that what I said?”
Rune laughed, a warm rumble vibrating his body.
“Oh no.” Maya corrected. “Not just for the holidays. Head over heels. Period. End of story.”
Though she knew, with joy flowing through her heart, that it was just the beginning.
Thank you so much for reading! In the mood for more Lost Harbor holiday romance? Please enjoy a free holiday short called Stormy with a Chance of Christmas.
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About the Author
Jennifer Bernard is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance. Her books have been called “an irresistible reading experience” full of “quick wit and sizzling love scenes.” A graduate of Harvard and former news promo producer, she left big city life in Los Angeles for true love in Alaska, where she now lives with her husband and stepdaughters. She still hasn’t adjusted to the cold, so most often she can be found cuddling with her laptop and a cup of tea. No stranger to book success, she also writes erotic novellas under a naughty secret name that she’s happy to share with the curious. You can learn more about Jennifer and her books at JenniferBernard.net. Make sure to sign up for her newsletter for new releases,
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Also by Jennifer Bernard
Lost Harbor, Alaska
Mine Until Moonrise
Yours Since Yesterday ~ Book 2
Seduced by Snowfall ~ Book 3
Wicked in Winter ~ Book 4
Naughty All Night ~ Book 5
Love at First Light ~ Book 6
The Rockwell Legacy
The Rebel ~ Book 1
The Rogue ~ Book 2
The Renegade ~ Book 3
The Runaway ~ Book 4
The Rock ~ Book 5
* * *
Jupiter Point ~ The Hotshots
Set the Night on Fire ~ Book 1
Burn So Bright ~ Book 2
Into the Flames ~ Book 3
Setting Off Sparks ~ Book 4
* * *
Jupiter Point ~ The Knight Brothers
Hot Pursuit ~ Book 5
Coming In Hot ~ Book 6
Hot and Bothered ~ Book 7
Too Hot to Handle ~ Book 8
One Hot Night ~ Book 9
* * *
Seeing Stars ~ Series Prequel
The Bachelor Firemen of San Gabriel Series
Love Between the Bases Series
Copyright © 2020 by Jennifer Bernard
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
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